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Class LjLj 3225 

Book _tLj£4=L_ 



Author . 



Title 



Imprint 



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"To Secure Effioienoy and Economy in Government" 

DETROIT BUREAU OF 

GOVERNMENTAL RESEARCH. Inc 

100 GRISWOLO STREET 



ared "b: 

,1917 






REPORT 
ON 
MAINTENANCE OP SCHOOL PROPERTY 



Prepared by the 
DETROIT BUREAU OP GOVERNMENTAL RESEARCH 
February, 1917. 



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IvirtV 14 jy 2 



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FOREWORD 



Following is a report upon the organi- 
zation and administration of such duties 
of the Supervisor of Property as deal with 
the maintenance of school property. The 
report does not deal with the character 
of work being done, nor is it a criticism 
of any persons connected v/ith this "branch 
of the educational service. 

Contact with the Supervisor of Property and 
his assistants during the course of this 
survey indicates that conscientious service 
is being rendered, and that the interests of 
the schools are borne in mind. 

The information for this report was furnished 
freely and the Bureau Staff was cooperated 
with in every way. 



A - INTRODUCTION 

1. Value of Property 

2. Organisation of Supervisor's Staff 

B - PRESENT PROCEDURE 

1. Annual Work Program 

a. Basis for Estimating Cost for Year 

b. Estimating Cards Used. 

c . Work Program 

d. Handling of Repair Fund 

2. Requisitions for Repairs 

a. Time Submitted 

b. Number of Items on a Requisition 

c. Repetition of Items 

3. Procedure in Making Repairs 

a. Checking of Requisitions 

b. Investigation of Need for Repairs 

c . Job Orders 

d. Job. Estimates and Job Costs 

e. Supervision of Men on Jobs 

f. Contract Work 

4. Records 

a. Adequacy of the System 

b. Keeping of Costs 

5. Purchasing Methods in Supervisor's Office 

a. Purchasing Agent 

b. Price Agreements 

c. Requisitions for Supplies 

d. Orders for Supplies 

e. Delivery and Inspection of Supplies 

6. Hire of Teams by Supervisor. 

C - PROPOSED PROCEDURE 
1. Suggested Changes 

a. Organization 

b. Basis for Estimating Cost for Year 



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c. Annual Work Program 

d. Requisitions for Repairs 

e. Investigations of Requests for Repairs 

f . Estimate and Cost Record 

g. Record of Jobs 

h. Monthly Report, of V/ork Done 

i. Supervision of Minor Jobs 

j. Employment of Labor 

k. Purchase of Supplies and Materials 



D - PERMAI1ELTT IMPROVEMENTS 



1. Suggested Changes 

a. Basis for Estimating Cost for Year 

b. Recommended Procedure 

c. Details of Procedure to be corked Out 



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StmCARY OP RECOMMENDATIONS 



It is recommended: 

1. That the duties of the Supervisor of Property be con- 
fined to the maintenance of lands and buildings, and 
that care of buildings be left to a person especially 
qualified to take care of the expensive system of heat- 
ing and ventilating, and to work out a scientific and 
economical method of cleaning buildings. The question 
of Janitors and Engineers will be discussed more fully 
in the report on "Care of Buildings". 

2. That the Supervisor's office be moved to the"shop" be- 
cause the"bosses" report there daily, and by having 
his office at the "shop", the Supervisor can more eas- 
ily keep in touch with everything that is going on in 
his department. 

3. That only one person be employed in the office to do 
the clerical work. By moving the office to the "shop" 
and by taking away the making of the pay-roll from the 
Supervisor's clerk, one man should be able to handle 
all clerical work and records. This renders one man 
and a stenographer superfluous. 

4. That the estimated needs for the ensuing year be pre- 
pared according to the proposed budget procedure out- 
lined in the report on "Budget of the Board of Educa- 
tion". This will give the amounts of money to be spent 
on labor and materials, respectively, and will furnish a 
fact basis for estimates. 

5. That a detailed work program be planned not earlier than 
in May of each year, after the annual appropriations 
have been made. By formulating a program based upon 
appropriations rather than upon estimates, a plan will 
be evolved which can be carried out since it is co- 
ordinated with the amount of money available for the 
purpose. 

6. That the work program show specifically the nature of 
the job which is to be done, and the estimated cost 
thereof in labor and material, respectively. Such pro- 
gram could be used by the Board of Education as an ad- 
ministrative control, and what is more important, there 
would be a recorded plan of work which any person could 
follow should the man in charge of the department ab- 
sent himself temporarily or permanently. 



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7. That the work program as planned should he carried out 
At present, whatever plan there is cannot he carried 
out as proposed because it is based upon funis requested 
and not upon appropriations, and because the plan is not 
sufficiently specific. 

8. That requisitions for repairs be received by the Super- 
visor of Property at specified tines only, except in 
cases of emergency. This will enable the Supervisor 

to route his work so that a minimum amount of time is 
wasted in going from Job to job. 

9. That principals be'znotified of the action taken with re- 
gard to their requisitions so that repititions of the 
same requests may be eliminated. 

10. That estimates for jobs be prepared by giving the esti- 
mated costs of the labor and materials. If prepared 
carefully such estimates, by stating how much a job 
should cost, will serve as a control upon time and 
material consumed by workingmen. 

11. That cost records for every job be made giving the 
actual cost of labor and materials used on the job. 
This combined with the estimated cost, will serve as a 
cheek upon the men doing the work and will serve as a 
guide in estimating future jobs of a like nature. 

12. That the record, now used, of jobs under way be elabor- 
ated so that the history of the job will be more speci- 
fically recorded, thus making the follow-up on work 
more easily effectual. 

13. That the monthly report of work done be submitted to the 
Board of Education so that this body can at all times 

be informed as to the progress of the annual work pro- 
gram and as to the expenditure of funds authorized to 
carry out such work program. 

14. That the Cadillac "8" and the chauffeur used by the 
Supervisor be disposed of and a % 'ieaper c^r bought to 
be operated by the Supervisor himself. A cheaper car 
should serve the purpose just as well and as "the Super- 
visor is the only one who uses the car there seems to 
be no reason why he should not operate it. 

15. That the "bosses" have low priced autos at their dis- 
posals during the summer months, at least, so that they 
can visit the jobs under their supervision more often. 
By eliminating a Cadillac "8" and a chauffeur, a number 
of cheaper automobiles can be bought without increasing 
the present cost of operating the department, while the 
efficiency of the work will be materially increased. 



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16. That daily time-sheets he turned in by the "bosses" 
showing what schools were visited by them. At the 
present time, there is absolutely no means for de- 
termining where and how the "bosses" spend "their 
time. 

17. That the Supervisor of Property be given a free hand 
in the employment of labor. He should not be ob- 
liged to hire men, desirable or not, sent him by 
school inspectors. 

18. That supplies and materials be bought by the Purchas- 
ing Agent of the Board of Education, and according to 
a system which will provide for proper inspection of 
deliveries which will insure the quality and quantity 
of goods delivered. It may also be assumed that buy- 
ing will be done more efficiently by a person whose 
business it is to do nothing else. 



PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS 



That the same procedure for making permanent improve- 
ments be followed as is outlined for the maintenance 
of land and buildings. Whatever difference there is 
between the two, lies in the matter of accounting and 
hot in the nature of the work. 



A - INTRODUCTION 
1. VALUE OF PROPERTY 

All maintenance of lands and buildings is in 
immediate charge of the Supervisor of Property, who works 
under the direction of the Committee on Real Estate and 
School Buildings in this phase of his duties. 

The total value of the property owned by the 
Board as of November 1, 1916 is #13,689.760.42, of which 
$2,537,885.42 is the value of the land, and #11, 151, 875. ^4 
is the value of the buildings. 

To maintain this property,- making repairs - 
there was spent, for the year ending July 1, 1916, 
$71,489.95, and for improvements, additions and alter- 
ations $67,306.25 was spent. The latter amount came out 
of the Building Fund, which, while appropriated upon re- 
quests made by the Supervisor, is spent in part under the 
direction of the architect and consulting engineer of the 
Board. In the past five years, from July 1, 1911 to July 
1, 1916, the expenditures for all repairs averaged 
$61,490.02 per year. The figures for the first four 
years were obtained from the annual reports of the Board 
of Education; those of the last year from a statement of 
the Secretary. 



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B - ORGANIZATION OF THE SUPERVISOR'S STAPI 



Supervisor of Property $3,500 per year 

Clerk - Payrolls and 

Purchasing 1,560 " " 

Stenographer 900 " " 

Shop Foreman (H»50 " day 
Time Clerk - handles details 

of men on jobs 4.50 " " 
Superintendent of Plumbing - 

Assistant Supervisor and in 

charge of all plumbing and 

stearafitting 7.00 " " 

Boss Carpenter 5.00 " " 

Boss Painter 4.50 " " 

Boss Laborer 4.25 " " 

Electrician 5.50 " " 



B - PRESENT PROCEDURE IN MAINTENANCE OP PROPERTY 
1. ANNUAL WORE PROGRAM 

a . Basis for Estimating Cost for Year 

"He (Supervisor of Property) shall in January; of 
each year recommend to the Board such repairs, 
alterations and improvements in and about school 
houses as he may deem necessary, together with 
his estimate in detail of the cost of the same." 

To arrive at this estimate the Supervisor, with 
his "boss steamfitter, carpenter, painter and electrician, 
in December of every year visits all the schools and in- 
spects them, noting upon specially prepared cards the esti- 
mated amount of money needed for repairs for the following 
year. 

Upon these cards, one for each school, is listed 
every item which enters into the upkeep of the school build- 
ing, the items being divided between a "maintenance" and a 
"building" fund, or maintenance and capital outlay. 
Against each item, such as blackboard repairs, carpentry, 
plumbing repairs, etc. the supervisor enters the amount he 
thinks will be required to perform the work for the next 
year, such amount including both labor and material. 
It takes three school weeks to cover the 125 schools in 
the city, and to estimate all the repairs needed for each 
school. 

Appropriations are granted by the Board of Esti- 
mates by total amounts for all schools for each item, ex- 
cept carpentry, plumbing, plastering and painting which are 



- 4 - 
grouped under the one head of "General Repairs". 

A capital outlay involving any considerable expen- 
diture forms the basis for a separate request and a distinct 
appropriation. If the special request is granted the work 
is done, if not the work is not realized unless it is ab- 
solutely urgent. 

b. Estimating Cards Used 

These estimates and the estimating cards, beyond 
furnishing enough figures to make up an adequate amount 
for repairs for a year, are of no value to the Board of 
Education as an administrative control, and of little value 
to the Supervisor as a working program. 

To the Board of Education the estimates offer no 
basis for administrative control because they do not desig- 
nate the specific nature of the repair, where the repair is 
to be made, and the amounts to be spent on labor as distinct 
from that to be spent on materials and supplies. As a re- 
sult at the end of the year the Board of Education is no 
wiser than it was at the beginning of the year as to what 
repairs were made and how much of that year's repair pro- 
gram was carried out. The Board knows only that repairs 
were made, as classified upon the card. 

It seems that even to the Supervisor the estimates 
can be of but little value because his requests invariably 
suffer a horizontal cut at the hands of the Board of Esti- 
mates, destroying the original program and because a new 
program to fit the amount of money appropriated is not pre- 



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pared. In fact it is not obvious that the Supervisor could 
make this revision unless the detailed nature of each con- 
templated repair is remembered. The cards carry no such 
detailed information. 

Following is a comparison of requests with 
amounts allowed by the Board of Estimates for the last 
four years: 

Year Requested Allowed % Cut 

1913 - 14 $74,012 $61,300 19$ 

1914 - 15 70,531 48,900 31$ 

1915 - 16 92,085 68,100 26$ 

1916 - 17 83,648 64,900 22$ 

According to the Supervisor, even if all the money 
requested were allowed, he would not follow the estimate 
cards to the letter. 

Expenditures in 1915 - 16 for repairs in the 
five schools picked at random and noted below, gives an 
idea of the relation between estimates and actual condi- 
tions: 

School Estimated Expended D ifference 

Central High $ 3,762.00 $ 2,925.62 $ 836.39 

Western High 1,165.00 541.58 623.42 

Johnston 993.00 1,230.52 237.52* 

Lincoln 160.00 580.57 388.57* 

Logan 1,130.00 1,858.11 728.11* 

( amount expended exceeds the amount estimated) 

c. Work Program 

While the schoola are apparently being maintained 
properly, it is a serious mistake to follow what is to all 
intents and purposes a "hand to mouth" method in the up- 
keep of a plant worth $11,000,000. 



- 6 - 

Whatever plans there may be for repairs to be 
made are carried in the head of the Supervisor of Property 
and while he knows what there is to be done and apparently 
remembers specifically the important repairs needed in every 
school, should be drop out, it would be a difficult matter 
to pick up the loose ends and to continue with the work. 

On July 1, when the fiscal year begins, and also 
when the heavy season for repairs begins, the Supervisor, 
without figuring how much the summer's work will cost, ex- 
cept with the knowledge that his appropriations will not 
be exceeded during the next two months, places a large 
force of men on the various jobs. These jobs are selected 
according to their urgency as the supervisor and his as- 
sistants remember them from their inspection of schools in 
the previous December, or as they are urged by the school 
principals. Were a new man to take charge of the build- 
ings on July 1, there would be no records to guide him 
in planning his work for the summer or for the year. Ex- 
ception is made in the matter of kalsomining, where a 
routine procedure of kalsomining each school every four 
years is followed. 

Another handicap to the maintenance of a well 
planned program for repairs is the fact that the Committee 
on Real Estate and School Buildings initiates repair work 
by requesting that the Supervisor do this or that job, 
without first inquiring into the state of the funds or 
learning what plans the Supervisor has for expending his 
money. At the meeting of the Board of Education on Oct. 12, 













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the Supervisor, after "being asked to do a certain job, 
stated that his funds for General Repairs were running low 
and that careful planning must be done to make the funds 
cover necessary jobs up to the end of the fiscal year. Tho 
reply to that statement by the Chairman of the Real Estate 
Committee was that the repairs must be made and that when 
the funds were exhausted some means must be found to ob- 
tain more money. 

This is strong evidence in favor of a work pro- 
gram and of periodic reports to the Board of Education on 
the progress of the work and the state of the funds. 

d. Handling of Repair Fund 

When the summer is over and the school session 

begins extensive repairing stops and men are laid off. 

The following table gives an idea of the varying intensity 

of work done during the year. 

Table Showing the Number of Employees 
on Repair \/ork During Different Months 
of the year 1915 - 1916 





No. 


Empl 


oyes 




No. 


Employee 


August 21, 




112 




March 4 




39 


Sept. 4 




89 




April 8 




32 


Oct. 9 




60 




May 6 




41 


Nov. 6 




52 




June 17 




62 


Dec. 4 




42 




July 8 




99 


Jan. 8 




54 




July 22 




108 


Feb. 5 




62 




Aug. 19 




117 



Beginning in the fall of the year, the Supervisor 
of Property tightens up in his jobs and funds, works most- 
ly on requisitions, and husbands his resources so that he 
has sufficient money to carry on the necessary repair work 
as it arises during the remainder of the year. 



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Under such conditions the fund for repairs be- 
comes a contingent fund, and it must of necessity become 
so "because it is impossible to foresee all the repairs 
for the whole year. In the absence of proper records it 
cannot be determined how much of the work is carried out 
according to a plan formulated at the beginning of the 
year and how much is contingent, but it is suggested that 
an effort be made to have a definite plan for as much of 
the funds as is possible and to abide by such plan. 

2 - REQUISITIONS FOR REPAIRS 

a. Time Submitted 

In addition to the repairs planned by the Super- 
visor after his tour of inspection, other repairs, the 
necessity for which arises during the year, are made upon 
requisition from the principals to the Supervisor. There 
is no stated time for these requisitions to be sent in; 
they being allowed to come whenever a principal sees the 
need for some work to be done. As a result routing the 
jobs so that the workingmen will not be scattered all 
over town and will not be obliged to move back and forth 
on jobs from one end of the city to another is a difficult 
matter. 

It is suggested that there be a stated time, at 
most once a week, or better, once a month, when requisi- 
tions for ordinary repairs may be sent in to the Super- 
visor's office. In case of real emergency, when the 
health or safety of pupils are effected, the Supervisor's 



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office should of course be called immediately. By hav- 
ing all the requisitions in on a certain day of each week 
or month, the Supervisor will be able to plan his work: 
ahead, route his men to greater advantage and provide the 
necessary supplies and materials so that all possible de- 
lay is eliminated. 

b. Number of Items on a Requisition 

One feature which causes complications is the 
number of items appearing on single requisitions,- either 
a request for more than one repair or else requests for 
materials and repairs. As a rule the Supervisor, believ- 
ing some of the requests unnecessary, crosses them out, 
leaving those which will be granted. However, in the 
general melee of filling certain items and omitting others, 
some are possibly overlooked. The latter are always caught, 
according to the clerk, because they will appear on a later 
requisition. 

Following are typical requisitions: 

S/23/16 

Dear Sir: 

We need repairs on the toilet floats. Gas- 
kets need removing. A little repair is needed in one 
of the drinking fountains. One of your men, Mr. Col- 
lins, looked at them this morning and knows exactly 
what is needed. 

There are two thermostats that are not work- 
ing properly, one in Kdgn. and other in the basement, 
and need repairing. 

Please see if that little room in the base- 
ment that we are needing very much as a class room, 
can T t be heated and by running a shoot pipe across 
from the warm air chamber to the room, and a foul 
air exit can be made by reopening one of the old 
foul air flues. I am sxire this can easily be done. 



- 10 - 
Feb. 14, 1916. 

The following material and repairs are necessarj? 
at the above school: 

1. Front door needs repairing 

2. Two "6" hooks for doors 

3. About 6 door knobs (brass) 

4. Center strip needs fastening on front door 

5. Kindergarten table needs repairing 

6. Bell wheel needs repairing. Cannot use bell 

at all and it has been previously reported 

7. One back door does not close tight. 

8. About 30 poplar trees need triraning (Previous- 

ly reported ) 

9. 14 loads of gravel are needed for the recess 

yard . 

It is suggested that each repair requisition 
contain but one item, so that v/hether allowed or dis- 
allowed, the requisition may be disposed of properly 
without any confusion. 

e. Repetition of Items 

Because the Supervisor does not report what dis- 
position will be made of items appearing on requisition, 
principals will ask again and again for repairs to be made 
until they are specifically denied their requests or grow 
tired of asking for the same thing. 

Instances of repetitions follow: 

Beard School 

Se- 1.17,1915. A number of down spouts need repairing 
this Fall. 

Nov. 16, 1915. " " " " 

Nov. 19, 1915. 

Nov. 23, 1915 " " 

Doc. 6,1915 Please do not forget those down spouts 

that are in very bad condition. Those 
at the entrances especially will cause 
trouble when the ice begins to form. 



- 11 - 

Bagley School 

Jan. 11, 1916 A new lock on door in office 
Feb. 2,1916 " » " " " " " 

Mar. 29, 1916 " " " " " " " 

It is suggested that principals be notified 

what disposition will be made of their requisitions. 

Such notice, the details of which are outlined later, 

will eliminate these continual requests for the same 

thing. 

3 - PROCEDURE IN MAKING REPAIRS 

a. Checking of Requisitions 

When the requisitions come in from the schools, 
either the Supervisor or his clerk reviews them, decid- 
ing whether or not the job is a necessity and should be 
done. If he thinks it is not necessary, the Supervisor 
crosses it off the requisition, probably to do so again 
and again upon future requests. 

b. Investigation of Need for Repairs 

If the job is a small one the clerk handles it 
by phoning an order to the shop; if it is one involving a 
considerable expense, the Supervisor or one of his bosses 
investigates the need for the work and estimates in a 
general way the probable cost. This is done, not for the 
purpose of keeping cost data, but in order to keep mi thin 
the appropriation, for near the end of the fiscal year, 
especially, it is essential that the balances in the 



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various repair funds be watched closely, so that liabili- 
ties exceeding then will not be incurred. It may be said 
in passing that the balances are watched closely by the 
Supervisor and that over-drawing of a fund is an except- 
ional occurrence. 

c. Job Orders 

All orders for work to be done are verbal. Small 
jobs are phoned to the shop by the clerk, and there the 
boss under whose supervision the work is to "be done re- 
ceives the order. More important repairs are investigated 
first, reported to the Supervisor and the order is given 
verbally by him to the boss. 

In a following section recommendations are pro- 
posed which contemplate the abolition of verbal orders 
and the introduction of written orders for every job. 

d. Job Estimates and Job Costs 

When a job is to be done, men are assigned and 
material is delivered for it without a definite estimate 
being made of the cost of the labor and materials. The 
Supervisor and the boss may know how many work-days are 
necessary for the completion of the job and how much 
material is required, but if no record is made of it, there 
is no way of ascertaining whether its cost was proper. 

The methods employed are all "rule of thumb". 
The Supervisor and his bosses "know" how lcug a job ought 
to take and by frequent visits to the job they "know" 
whether the required progress is being made. 



- 13 - 
Because of the absence of such records, former 
work cannot he used as a measuring stick nor as a basis for 
estimating costs of new jobs; actual costs cannot be com- 
pared with estimated costs. In short there is no adequate 
check nor control of expenditures for repair work, 

e. Supervision of Hen on the Jobs 

The time of the men working in the schools is 
controlled by the Shop Foreman who receives the telephone 
calls every morning from the field, when the men begin 
the day's work. In addition to this, during the summer 
months when repair work is at its height, the clerk in the 
Supervisor's office makes the rounds of the schools every 
afternoon, visiting as many as possible, for the purpose 
of checking up the attendance of the men on the various 
jobs. 

Individual time sheets are maintained by the Shop 
Foreman. Supervision of the progress of the work is done 
by the Supervisor and his division bosses of whom there are 
five,- the superintendent of plumbing and steam fitting 
who is practically the Supervisor's assistant; the boss 
carpenter, the boss painter, the boss laborer, and the 
electrician. These men visit schools and inspect the work 
being done. During the winter when the number of mechanics 
employed is at a minimum, the bosses themselves do active 
work. 

On every job where a number of men are employed 
there is a sub-foreman in immediate charge. 



- 14 - 

Two automobiles are used in the Supervisor's de- 
partment for making the rounds of the schools, the Super- 
visor having at his disposal a Cadillac "8" and a chauffeur, 
and the Superintendent of Plumbing and Steamf itting, hav- 
ing a £ive passenger Ford. The other "bosses" use the 
street cars. The cost of maintaining the Cadillac "8" for 
the year ending June 30, 1916 amounted to $8,595.03, which 
included the chauffeur's salary of $809.22. There seems 
to be no need for having an expensive car with a proportion- 
ate expense in upkeep; furthermore, the necessity of em- 
ploying a chauffeur is not obvious as the Supervisor is 
the only person using the car. It is suggested that a 
cheaper car would serve the purpose as well, and it could 
be kept in a garage near the Supervisor's home where he 
could conveniently get it every morning. The Ford car, 
upkeep for which was $294.90 for the year, and which is 
kept at the "shop", seems to have been perfectly satis- 
factory for the visiting of schools, inspection of jobs, 
and for all other purposes for which an automobile is in- 
tended to be used. 

In view of the supervision being done by all of 
these persons, it seems that the visits of the Supervisor's 
clerk to see that men are present on jobs, is superfluous 
and could be eliminated without impairing the effectiveness 
of the work. 

f. Contract Work 

Practically all the repair work of the Board of 



- 15 - 

Education is done "by direct labor. For the year ending 
June 30, 1915, only §1,958.20 was spent on work 3et by 
contract. In addition to this, however, all the roof- 
ing and roof repairing is let out on a labor and material 
basis, but the amount spent in this manner could not be 
learned. 

If the Board of Education finds it a better plan 
to let out all its roofing repairs, no objection can be 
interposed, but it is suggested that Contractors be re- 
quired to submit estimates for such jobs and tiiat the 
present practice of letting jobs on a labor and material 
basis, unestimated, be discontinued. 

The present method may lead to a waste of money, 
or at least has a tendency to increase the cost of a job 
over what it might have been on a straight contract basis. 

The work performed by outside labor is inspected 
by the Supervisor and no money is paid until the job is fin- 
ished and found to be satisfactory. 

4 - RECORDS 

a. Adequacy of the System 

Except for one imperfect record there are none 
which tell anything about a job,- its estimated east, actuax 
cost, progress or even give a good description of it. The 
one record which strives to inform one of the status of the 
work is the "Job Memorandum Book" in which are entered all 
jobs that have been ordered done. 

Following is a speciman of the information found 



- 16 - 

in the book: 

Job Shop Completed 

(Piled by Schools) (Date phoned to shop) (Wo date is 

entered 



here; 



Columbian School 



Hooks lowered ward- 
robes H.K.M.N.O. & P. done 

Rep . Slate blac kb oards 

Paint lines black- 
boards Rooms U & V March 23 done 

150 rubber treads, 1 
strip 8X3' April 7 done 

Rep. roof (Cander 

Oehring) June 9 done 



b. Keeping of Costs 

Although it is practically impossible to tell 
what the cost of any particular job is, yet the amount 
spent for repairs on any one school is carried in the ac- 
countant's office. Prom the time-sheets is taken the la- 
bor put in at a school and from the invoices the material 
sent to the school. However, these costs cannot be exact, 
because in many instances material left over on a job in 
one school is used upon a job in another school, and since 
these quantities are unknown to the bookkeeper, no credit 
is given the first school which received the material di- 
rectly from the vendor. 

5 - PURCHASING METHODS IN SUPERVISOR'S OPPICE 

a. Purchasing Agent 

The purchasing of supplies by the Board of Educa- 
tion is discussed fully in another report, but it is thought 



- 17 - 

opportune at this point to describe briefly the methods em- 
ployed in the Supervisor's office. 

All supplies and materials used in the maintenance 
of buildings are purchased by the Supervisor or his repres- 
entatives. Upon the authorization of the Committee on Real 
Estate and Buildings he prepares annually his schedule of 
supplies needed for repairs and invites bids upon proposals 
sent out by him. The committee goes over the bids and sel- 
ects the vendor, usually the lowest bidder. 

b. Price Agreements 

Bids are invited on paints and painters' supplies 
only, all the rest of the supplies being purchased in the 
open market during the course of the year. 

For the supplies upon which bids are received, 
price agreements which are in force for a year are secured. 
Orders are placed as the need arises. 

c. Requisitions for Supplies 

As far as could be learned, all requisitions for 
supplies are verbal. The men on the job inform their bosses 
of their needs which are phoned to the Supervisor's office 
either by the bosses or by the Shop Foreman. Upon receipt 
of this verbal requisition, the Supervisor's cleric places 
the order. 

d. Orders for Supplies 

As a rule orders are phoned to the vendors, and a 
confirming order sent later. On the open market orders which 



- 18 - 

constitute the bulk of the purchasing, competitive prices 
are not secured, because according to the clerk, the firms 
are known and the orders are placed with those who give 
the best prices. It is not until the invoice arrives that 
the price is knov/n. In buying "fittings" the prices on 
the invoice are checked against the catalogue price and 
the discount allowed is watched. If the latter does not 
seem sufficient other jobbing houses are called up for 
purposes of verification. 

The purchasing order forms, the same as used by 
the other divisions of the Board of Education, might be im- 
proved. Recommendations for new forms are discussed in the 
report on "Purchasing of Supplies". 

e. Delivery and Inspection of Supplies 

Deliveries are made to the men at the school 
where the job is under way. Neither the boss nor the men 
receive a copy of the order placed, nor do they possess 
a requisition upon which the order was based, altho they are 
supposed to have their individual memoranda of the supplies 
requested by them. Morover neither of these report bo the 
office on the deliveries unless there is something obvious- 
ly wrong, and if no report is made, the clerk in the Super- 
visor's office takes it for granted that the supplies de- 
livered are satisfactory and he accordingly certifies the 
invoice. Returns of supplies to the vendor may be made by 
the men on the job without notification to the office to 
that effect. 



- 19 - 

6 - HIRE OF TEAMS BY SUPERVISOR 

For tne year ending June 30, 1915, the Supervisor 
spent ^3,960,59 for the hire of teams for work to be done 
in connection with his department. 

The distribution of this amount is as follows: 



Teaming in connection with grading, 

renovation, etc. $ 2,629.09 

Cartage in connection with shop 

deliveries, etc. 1,331.50 

$ 3,960.59 



It is believed that the expenditure of the second 
item of §1,331.50 can be saved. The Board of Education 
maintains an auto truck and a horse and wagon in connection 
with its store-house, and if the recommendation under "Fur- 
chasing and Storing of Supplies" be followed,- that deliv- 
eries to schools be made once a north,- one vehicle would 
be available for the Supervisor's use. If it were possible 
to locate the shop and the storehouse under one roof, as 
recommended, arrangements could be made to use both vehic- 
les for the whole service. 

The teamsters supplied with the hired teams are 
ignorant of the location of schools, and about the time one 
is taught his way about, he quits the job and another dri- 
ver must be broken in. These teams are hired from the liv- 
ery stable practically every working day of the year. 



- so - 

C - PROPOSED PROCEDURE 
1. SUGGESTED CHANGES 

a. Organization 

It is recommended that the Supervisor of Property 
be in charge of maintenance of property only, and that the 
care of buildings - the janitorial and engineering service 
he removed from his jurisdiction. The repair and construc- 
tion of the work to be done on over 125 schools should be 
sufficient to keep one man busy planning and inspecting. 
Furthermore supervision of engineers and janitors is a 
specialized service, and should be placed in the hands of a 
person technically trained, v:ho can properly take care of 
the expensive heating and ventilating plants. This question 
will be discussed at length in the report on "Care of 
Buildings". 

The field staff as organized at present is good 
and should remain so constituted, but on inside office work 
there is possibly one superfluous man. It is suggested 
that either the clerk in the Supervisor's office, or the 
shop foreman who is really a clerk, be transferred to other 
work, without impairing the efficiency of the organization. 
The following paragraphs explain this matter more fully. 

In order to facilitate the work of the Supervisor's 
department, it is suggested that his office be located at the 
place where the bosses and the men report daily. There seems 
to be no sufficient reason for the location of the Super- 



- 21 - 

visor's office at 50 Broadway, while the shop where the 
"bosses report and which is the actual headquarters of the 
work is located at Elm Street, near Erooklyn Avenue, over 
a mile away. 

If the present organization is continued the Sup- 
ervisor's office might properly he moved to the shop which 
■has sufficient space to accomodate him. Or as an alterna- 
tive, (in accordance with recommendations made in the re- 
port on "Purchasing and Stores"), it is recommended that 
steps be taken to put under one roof all the stores of the 
Board of Education, the purchasing agent's office and the 
Supervisor's office. Not only will either of these plans 
facilitate procedure, hut they will leave at least one 
man in the supervisor's department available for other 
duties. 

h. Basis for Estimating Cost for Year 

According to the present practice, the Supervisor 
is required, by the rules, to recommend in January of each 
year, to the Board, "such repairs, alterations and improve- 
ments in and about school houses as he may deem necessary, 
together with his estimate in detail of the cost of the 
same". As explained in another part of the report, the 
estimates for each school combine labor and material in 
single items, without giving unit costs or specified quan- 
tities desired. Furthermore, these estimates, as now made, 
cannot be followed very easily in carrying out the work fcr 
the year. 









" 






~ 22 - 

It is suggested, therefore, that the present 
method of estimating the needs for the ensuing year should 
"be revised and that the budget estimates for repairs should 
conform to the plan outlined in the report on "Budget Pro- 
cedure of the Board of Education". Briefly, this plan 
calls for the segregation of labor and materials, the num- 
ber of labor days listed by class of labor desired, quan- 
tities of material and supplies according to a budget class- 
ification and unit costs of labor materials and supplies, 
the estimates of all these items to be based upon like ex- 
penditures for past and current periods. 

To support his requests, it will be necessary for 
the Supervisor to furnish the Board of Education with de- 
finite data of specific jobs. Such information can be ob- 
tained only by an inspection trip of the schools, and from 
requisitions of principals. However, as it is impossible to 
foresee in December all repairs needed for the next ensuing 
year, beginning July first, the total amount estimated as 
necessary for specific jobs will have to be increased. In 
order to determine the amount of the increase, the Super- 
visor will have to supply, for the information of the 
Board of Estimates, data showing how much was spent on re- 
pairs during past and current years. For example, if in 
December, when he is preparing his annual budget estimates, 
the Supervisor can foresee specific jobs for only $25,000 
and he has been spending in past years #50,000 per year on 
repairs, he will have to include in his estimates a suf- 
ficient number of labor days and quantities of supplies 



- 25 - 

and materials he will need for repairs to 'total (,)50 f 000 t 
the amount he deems necessary for the entire year's work. 
Some such plan must be followed because in practice it is 
found that contingent repairs costing thousands of dollars 
arise every year. Items for specific jobs ought not appear 
on the final estimate sheets. 

_ _ Annual ;7ork Program 

In the beginning of this report .;as discussed the 
disadvantages and ineffectiveness of preparing in Decern": 3r . - 
six months before the new year begins,- a school by seho:T. 
detailed program of repairs to be made during the ensuing- 
year. It -is suggested, therefore, that the present prac- 
tice and the estimate cards used, be changed for the fol- 
lowing reasons: 

1. They give no information as to the specific 
nature of the repairs. 

2. The figures combine cost for labor ard mater- 
ial. 

3. Wo unit costs are given. 

4. They do not contain enough information to serve 
as administrative control by Board of Education. 

5. They cannot be followed ersily because the full 
amount requested is never allowed and no readjust- 
ment is made. 

6. Comparatively few specific jobs can be foreseen 
six months before the 3^ear is even begun and 
eighteen months before the last repair is made 
for that year. 

Instead it is recommended that the Supervisor 

of Property prepare a detailed and specific work program 

after appropriations had been made, some time in May of 



- 24. - 

each year, by visiting every school with his "bosses" and 

by recording the following information upon estimate forms 

to be described later: 

Specific nature of the job. 

In what part of the building it is to be done. 
Estimated cost of labor. 

Estimated cost of materials for each kind of 
material. 

The present cards show that $ is needed 

for "carpentry" in the Alger School; the proposed card will 
show that the floor in Room X of the Alger School needs 

repairing, that the cost of labor will be $ , and the 

cost of the material will be $ . A further difference, 

not apparent upon tho estimating card is, that in the first 
instance the "carpentry" worlt, contemplated six months be- 
fore the new program goes into effect, and before appro- 
priations are made, may be done, and in the second instance 
the "floor repairing" planned only a month or six weeks be- 
fore the new program goes into effect and after appropri- 
ations are granted, will be done. 

As a follow-up of such program, it is suggested 
that reports upon its progress be made periodically to 
the Board of Education. 

On July 1, the fiscal year of the Board of Edu- 
cation commences, and from that date until the end of the 
summer, repair work is carried on extensively. A com- 
parison of the amount spent during the remainder of the 
year 19Ib-1916 results as follows: 



- 25 - 

July 1 - Sept. 30 - $28,126.21 - 33.5$ - 3 mos. 
Sept. 30 - Jan. 1 - 15,983.73 - 22.3$ - 3 mos. 
Jan. 1 - July 1 - 27,330.01 - _38.4$ - 6 mos. 
Total for year $71,~489.95 100 % 

The above figures show that during the three sum- 
mer months more money is spent than during the last six, and 
that 61.1$ o:; ail the money spent for repairs was spent in 
the first six months of the year. This substantiates the 
recommendation that the detail of the work "be planned not 
earlier than in May, because at that time a definite pro- 
gram, applicable for at least six months, and entailing ex- 
penditures of over 60£ of the repair funds can be prepared 
and can be carried out effectively. 

Whatever money remains in the fund, after the pro- 
gram for obvious repairs is completed, can be used for con- 
tingencies which arise during the year. 

If adopted it is believed the recommended pro- 
cedure will provide: 

1. A recorded plan of work which is necessary if jobs 
are to be performed with the least possible delay, 
and if purchases of supplies and materials for 
these jobs are to be made in bulk, and at the 
lowest possible cost. 

2. A plan which obviates the danger of tying up the 
work because of the absence of any one man. 

3. An accurate program and one which can be followed 
out because the jobs will be planned only a mcnth 
or six weeks before the years work is started. 

4. A work program which can be carried out because 
it will be based upon actual appropriations and 
not upon budget estimates which represent the 
availability of only possible funds. 

5. A means for administrative control by the Board 
of Education. 



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' 



- 26 - 

d. Requisitions for Repairs 

Except in emergencies , it is recommended that re- 
quisitions for repairs be received by the Supervisor once a 
week or once a month on a day specified by him. This will 
give him an opportunity, better to plan his work ahead in 
routing his mechanics and in making his rounds to investi- 
gate the need and the extent of the repairs requested. 
Follow-up can be simplified if each requisition carries 
but one item. This will also eliminate the possibility o; r : 
overlooking repairs because of crossing off some of the 
items on a requisition and allowing others. 

e. Investigation of Requests for Repairs 

Upon receipt of requisitions it is suggested that 
an investigation be made of all requests of sufficient im- 
portance to merit such step. By this is meant that special 
investigation trips need not be made for minor repairs which 
may be made incidentally,- planning a door, repairing a 
lock, etc. 

Certainly principals should be notified of re- 
quests not allowed, in order to eliminate repetition of 
requisitions for the same thing. 

f. Estimate and Cost Record 

The estimate and cost record can be a combined 
form containing both the estimate of the labor and mater- 
ial necessary to perform a job and the actual cost of the 
same after the job has been completed. When investigating 



- 27 - 

repairs requested, and upon the Spring tour of inspection 
recommended above, it is suggested that these sheets be 
taken along and entries made upon them of the estimated 
cost of the labor and of the quantities of material needed 
for each job. Wherever found of value a sketch should be 
made of the proposed repair. 

These estimate sheets can then be used as job or- 
ders and as cost sheets to be turned over to the boss, to 
the man on the job, or else kept in the office. In the 
former case the men would enter such information on the 
job while in the latter instance this would be done by 
the clerk from daily time sheets and from reports of 
material use'd. This is a detail which can be worked out 
at the time the system is installed. 

The time consumed in traveling to a job can be 
charged as a cost to that job, or else the plan may be 
adopted of charging all traveling as an overhead to all 
jobs. 

While estimates need not be made for incidental 
jobs, the cost of every job should be compiled and recorded, 

g. Record of Jobs 

This book as planned is similar to the one' now 
in use and it is intended to record by consecutive numbers 
every job as it is ordered to be done. The information 
to be carried in this book for every job is: - job order 
number; requisition number, if done on requisition; des- 
cription of job; estimated cost; actual cost; date started 



- 28 - 

and date finished. Such information for every job will 
serve not only as a control but will also indicate at a 
glance the status of the repair work, and so minimize the 
loose ends to be kept in mind. 

h. Monthly Report of work Done 

Periodically, at least once a month, it is re- 
commended that the Supervisor of Property submit a report 
furnishing the following information: 

Number of jobs in progress at beginning of the month. 

Number of jobs started during the month. 

Total number of jobs worked on during the month. 

Number of Jobs completed during the month; the 
number estimated and the number not esti- 
mated; estimated cost and actual cost of jobs. 

Total to date as against the work program. 

To supplement this, it is suggested that an item- 
ized list of important jobs be furnished,, jobs costing 
025 or more; the estimated cost and actual cost of such 
jobs to be given. 

i. Supervision of Men on Jobs 

No change is recommended in the present system 
of supervising jobs, except that during the summer months 
when work is heaviest, the "bosses" might be provided with 
low priced autos so that more intensive supervision may be 
done. This can be done without increasing the expense of 
the Supervisor's department if the Cadillac "8" with its 
chauffeur is eliminated. Por the §2595.03 which it costs 
to maintain the latter, eight small cars can be maintained 
for a whole year. 






9 SI J 



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■ i 



- 
I 
■ do i 

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c 






- 29 - 

Daily tine sheets should be sent in to the office 
by the "bosses" stating the hours at work and the schools 
visited by them the previous day, and the time spent at 
each school. 

It is recommended that the janitors or engineers 
be required to check up the time of workingmen on contract 
jobs, and the amount of work accomplished during a day. 
This suggestion might also be carried out in a limited way 
to all repair work done in schools. 

j. Em plo yment of labor 

All mechanics and laborers should certainly be 
hired by the Supervisor of Property, without interference 
by members of the Board of Education. 

■> On the occasion of a visit to the Supervisor's 

office, an applicant who said he was sent in by one of the 
school inspectors, came in while intoxicated and asked for 
a job. The Supervisor told him to come in when sober and 
he would talk about work, and after the man left, the 
Supervisor stated that the applicant would be given a job 
but would be watched carefully and discharged the first 
time he came to work drunk. Such conditions carry their 
own condemnation. 

k. Purchase of Supplies and Materials 

It is recommended that supplies and materials 
be bought by the purchasing agent of the Board of Education. 
Prom the estimate sheets, which indicate the supplies and 



- 30 - 

materials and quantities of each needed for a job, re- 
quisitions can be prepared by the clerk before distri- 
buting the job orders, and sent to "stores" or thru pro- 
per channels to the purchasing agent as outlined in the 
report on "Purchasing". 



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- 31 - 
D - PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS 

1. SUGGESTED CHANGES 

a. Basis for Estimating Cost for Year 

At the time the Supervisor makes his annual tour 
of inspection to estimate the repairs needed, he plans also 
the permanent improvements to be made during the following 
year. Such improvements include new blackboards; cement 
walks and driveways; closets, urinals and sinks; electric; 
wiring and fixtures; fences; grading and sodding; gravel- 
ing; and ventilating fans. The money for these come out 
of the Building Fund, while the money for repairs is 
charged to the Maintenance Fund. 

b. Recommended Procedure 

The same methods as are followed in making repairs 
are followed in this work except where contracts are let 
for the whole job. 

It is suggested that the procedure recommended 
for "Repairs" be followed in "Permanent Improvements", 
with the exception that the Chief Engineer of the Board, 
the Architect, or the Consulting Engineer be called upon 
to make estimates of the cost of the jobs requiring tech- 
nical knowledge. 

The fund charges will be different but this is 
a matter of accounting and will be discussed in that sec- 
tion of the report dealing with accounts. 



- 32 - 

c. Details of Procedure to "be Worked Out 

The details of the procedure recommended have 
not been presented.. It is thought more advisable to work 
these out should the Board of Education decide to modify 
the system now in operation. At that time the forms 
could be better drawn up and adopted to meet the pecu- 
liar needs of the situation. 



